Disney Dreams is over half-built and a DRAMATIC announcement is coming soon

[Rence]

It would be public knowledge if a large cruise ship were well under construction (ie. half-done) and it was not connected to a known cruise line. So a ship that was being built for some unknown company would be news and there would be speculation in the cruise magazines, cruise websites etc. You just can't hide a big ship like that. The ships currently under construction are well documented on other sites.

But - I suppose it could be possible that a cruise ship that was currently being built for another cruise line could be shifted over to DCL. The biggest case against this is that DCL is very particular about the look and style of their ships. But I suppose if DCL could get a really good deal and it was at a point in the construction process where DCL could still customize the ship to make it Disney that it might be possible.

I can certainly see a new ship announcement coming soon, but I just can't believe that a half-built ship is out there hidden away some place.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I think there is NO way that a new Disney ship is already in the process of being built somewhere, without ANYONE knowing about it!

 

[ibouncetoo]

No, the stockholders do not have to know in advance (my company makes multi-million dollar purchases all the time).

Yes, it's conceivable that a ship could be ordered under a dummy corporate name.



BUT, I'll be taking the original post with a grain of salt unless and until we hear something from someone who appears to be more 'in the know'. Perhaps this post was intended as a prediction

 

[travelgirl06]

Disney is pretty good at keeping secrets, so a new ship within a year and a half seems like it could theoretically be feasible (most likely under another company's name or something along those lines). As other posters said, if anyone can do it, its Disney.

I, personally, would forsee DCL putting their new ship in the caribbean and sending the Magic of the Wonder to the west coast. Putting a new ship out of Florida would further increase demand for those cruises (since people would want to try the new ship) and allow Disney to stake a bigger share in that market. Plus, to adapt the Wonder or the Magic for the west coast DCL could add a sliding glass roof over the pool and make a few other adjustmetns to increase passenger comfort in the colder climate.

However, I have to say that positioning a ship substantially bigger than the Magic or the Wonder on the West Coast seems like an unlikely idea. If the ship is much bigger than the two current ships it won't be able to fit though the Panama Canal, which really limits its scope of itineraries. It seems like DCL would homeport the Dream in Port Canaveral (where it can get to New England, Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Europe, etc.) instead of putting it on the west coast (where Hawaii, Alaska and Mexico are among the only options). This is one of the mail sources of confusion that I have with this rumor, but who knows?

I'm hoping for a new ship, but not counting on seeing one any time soon. I think DCL likes being a small, fairly exclusive, cruise line, otherwise they would have built new ships a while back... but hey, speculation is fun...

 

[Mom323]

Maybe this is why the 2008 dates have not been released yet.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Maybe this is why the 2008 dates have not been released yet.

even in 2004, dates for 2006 were not released until Sept. 29th. I think it has nothing at all to do with a new ship. Even if there was an announcement for a new ship TODAY, I highly doubt it would sail in 2008!

 

[crisi]

No, the stockholders do not have to know in advance (my company makes multi-million dollar purchases all the time).

Yes, it's conceivable that a ship could be ordered under a dummy corporate name.



BUT, I'll be taking the original post with a grain of salt unless and until we hear something from someone who appears to be more 'in the know'. Perhaps this post was intended as a prediction

Are you a CPA? Because material contracts are liabilities and must be disclosed in the footnotes of the balance sheet per SEC regulations and/or FASB standards (can't remember which off the top of my head). Now, its possible that a ship is not a material liability for a company the size of Disney, but I'd have a hard time seeing that - you are talking about a contract worth a few hundred million. A couple million - that isn't material. A couple hundred million - probably material.

 

[Amlee]

Tom McAlpin said last summer NO new ship until the Euro settled down more. I'm just off the 10 Day Wonder and the same comment was repeated over and over. NO New Ship until the Euro settled.

 

[auntsue1]

They have said all you need is faith, hope & a little Pixie dust If this is true you'll see my family under a thread about who will be on one of this ship's cruises. It will be interesting to see what comes about.

I'm wishing.. and hoping.... for an Alaskan Cruise!

 

[plutospup]

Plans for a 3rd ship were already on the drawing board over 3 yrs ago. The ship was styled similarly to the Magic & Wonder. It was a Panamax ship that would fit through the Panama Canal. The difference was that additional decks along with additional amenities would be offered. Why were they waiting then....? ...poor exchange rate with the Euro. All of this was per a DCL exec. No reason to doubt this info.

Are they building a ship under a dummy company...maybe, but I doubt it. (Just my hunch) That said I really wish they would build a new ship, and soon!

 

[captchris]

This is from cruisenewsdaily.com.

Dake's List: NEW CRUISE SHIPS ON ORDER
Compiled by Shawn J. Dake - updated August 25, 2006

Cruise Line

Ship Name / Tonnage / Date Due / Builder

AIDA CRUISES

AIDADIVA 68,500 April 2007 Meyer Werft

UNNAMED 68,500 April 2008 Meyer Werft

UNNAMED 68,500 April 2009 Meyer Werft

UNNAMED 68,500 Spring 2010 Meyer Werft

AMERICAN CRUISE LINES

AMERICAN STAR 2,000 May 2007 Chesapeake Shipbuilding

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES

CARNIVAL FREEDOM 110,000 February 2007 Fincantieri

CARNIVAL SPLENDOR 112,000 Spring 2008 Fincantieri

UNNAMED 130,000 Fall 2009 Fincantieri

CELEBRITY CRUISES

SOLSTICE 118,000 September 2008 Meyer Werft

EQUINOX 118,000 Summer 2009 Meyer Werft

UNNAMED 118,000 June 2010 (Solstice Class) Meyer Werft

COSTA CROCIERE

COSTA SERENA 112,000 May 2007 Fincantieri

UNNAMED 92,700 Spring 2009 Fincantieri

UNNAMED 112,000 Summer 2009 Fincantieri

CUNARD LINE

QUEEN VICTORIA 90,000 December 2007 Fincantieri

easyCruise

UNNAMED 7,500 grt Delivery TBA Neorion Holdings

UNNAMED 7,500 grt Delivery TBA Neorion Holdings

UNNAMED 7,500 grt option Neorion Holdings

UNNAMED 7,500 grt option Neorion Holdings

FS OCEAN CLUB, LTD.

FOUR SEASONS 42,500 Summer 2007 Kvaerner Masa

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

UNNAMED 86,000 Summer 2008 Fincantieri

UNNAMED 86,000 Spring 2009 Fincantieri

MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING CRUISES

MSC ORCHESTRA 89,600 Spring 2007 Chantiers de l'Atlantique

MSC POESIA 89,600 March, 2008 Chantiers de l'Atlantique

MSC FANTASIA 133,500 June 2008 Chantiers de l'Atlantique

MSC SERENATA 133,500 March 2009 Chantiers de l'Atlantique

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE (NCL AMERICA)

NORWEGIAN PEARL 93,000 November 2006 Meyer Werft

NORWEGIAN GEM 93,000 October 2007 Meyer Werft

OFOTENS OG VESTERAALENS DAMSKIPSSELSKAP ASA (NORWEGIAN COSTAL VOYAGE)

FRAM 12,000 April 2007 Fincantieri

ORPHALESE GLOBAL STRATEGIES

ORPHALESE 90,000 Fall 2008 Aker Finnyards


P & O CRUISES

VENTURA 116,000 April 2008 Fincantieri

PRINCESS CRUISES

EMERALD PRINCESS 116,000 Spring 2007 Fincantieri

UNNAMED 116,000 Fall 2008 Fincantieri

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

LIBERTY OF THE SEAS 158,000 Spring 2007 Aker Finnyards

UNNAMED (Freedom Class iii) 158,000 January 2008 Aker Finnyards

UNNAMED (Genesis Class i) 220,000 Fall 2009 Aker Yards

TOTAL NEW SHIPS ON ORDER 34 TOTAL GROSS TONNAGE ON ORDER 3,237,400

Data not guaranteed

The above information is updated as of August 25, 2006. As with all aspects of the cruise industry, the information is subject to change. Current tonnage on order once again surpassed the 3 million gross ton mark in 2006. A flurry of new orders at the end of 2005 and into 2006 significantly boosted the figures. With few exceptions, the majority of the most recent orders were for vessels well over 100,000 tons, including the largest ship in history and the first to surpass 200,000 gross tons. Upstart MSC Cruises currently has the largest number of new orders under a single company banner. As these newbuilds come on line, the cruise industry will see significant growth from now through 2009 - Shawn Dake.

 

[crisi]

Plans for a 3rd ship were already on the drawing board over 3 yrs ago. The ship was styled similarly to the Magic & Wonder. It was a Panamax ship that would fit through the Panama Canal. The difference was that additional decks along with additional amenities would be offered. Why were they waiting then....? ...poor exchange rate with the Euro. All of this was per a DCL exec. No reason to doubt this info.

Are they building a ship under a dummy company...maybe, but I doubt it. (Just my hunch) That said I really wish they would build a new ship, and soon!

In a post Enron world, there will be no ship built under a dummy company unless that company is properly consolidated onto the financial statements - unless Igers wants to go to prison. Secrecy in building a ship everyone KNOWS they've wanted to build for five years is not worth potential prison time for these guys.

(One of Enron's big sins was using off balance sheet financing to do deals).

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Disney Dreams is over half-built and a DRAMATIC announcement is coming soon

Disney Dreams will be on the West coast with trips to Mexico and Alaska. Dreams is being built under a fake corporate name and is much bigger with large waterparks on board.

Unless the ship is being built on Mars, there is no way a shipyard could keep such a secret.

And what others have posted about public corporations is true. Disney would have to disclose such a billion dollar future liability in SEC filings and reports to shareholders.

There may be a "dramatic announcement" tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year about a DCL fleet expansion — but it won't involve a ship that's already "half-built."

 

[tvguy]

No, the stockholders do not have to know in advance (my company makes multi-million dollar purchases all the time).

Well, if they are unbudgeted purchases, I hope your managers will enjoy their time in prison.

Now companies do budget "discretionary spending". My division has a 100 million dollar budget, $100,000 of that is "fun money". That's kind of a joke because often the things we spend "fun money" on are capital expenses that should be within the rest of the budget. Our corporate own refuses to allow us to budget for things like copy machines, and they also refuse to allow us to lease that type of equipment or buy a service police for it. Very few businesses buy copy machines anymore, and even fewer elect to pay for repairs out of their pocket.

 

[woj68]

Disney Dreams will be on the West coast with trips to Mexico and Alaska. Dreams is being built under a fake corporate name and is much bigger with large waterparks on board.

Don't you find it peculiar that this poster doesn't name a source or post a link to a story about this? And hasn't responded with another post since?

I realize how everyone loves the idea of a third Disney ship (myself included), but I'm not believing anything until it's official from Disney.

Especially not from someone with 16 posts to their credit.

 

[poohs4me]

Wow a new ship!! Travelgirl06 makes a lot of sense. The only problem would be that neither the Magic or Wonder seem suited for the colder climates. We were also on the cold June West Coast cruise and the boat was just not suited for it.

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

Don't you find it peculiar that this poster doesn't name a source or post a link to a story about this? And hasn't responded with another post since?

I realize how everyone loves the idea of a third Disney ship (myself included), but I'm not believing anything until it's official from Disney.

Especially not from someone with 16 posts to their credit.

I totally agree with you!! Anyone who looks at those 16 post will see it's nothing more than a bored mind at work here. Those 16 rants go from... no more Castaway Club CD's, to arguing about smoking on verandah's - you name it all full of

Remember - don't feed them and they die on their own.

Kelly

 

[ivanova]

Okay, last year on the eastbound repo cruise Tom McAlpin (DCL prez) said no firm date on a 3rd or 4th ship until the Euro/USD rate was where DCL wanted it (and it ain't there yet).

Last week on the 10 night So.Caribbean Tom Wolber (DCL Sr VP of Operations) pretty much said the same thing (even when Captain Henry tried to "make" him confirm an announcement). No ship. T.Wolber also talked about how the Magic and Wonder were "purpose built" ships. Most cruise lines go to the shipyards and say here are the basic specs we want, what can you build us? Disney Imagineers designed the Magic/Wonder and went to shipyards until they found one that would/could build what Disney wanted specifically. I doubt DCL would turn around and buy an existing ship or existing 1/2 built ship from another company ... it wouldn't be purpose built to DCL specs.

Finally, on Miceage's website, this following tidbit was recently posted:

The one bit of information that did get the crowd talking was Rasulo's rather blunt proclamation that an announcement of a third Disney Cruise Line ship based on the West Coast would come "sooner rather than later." Rasulo continued to explain that the new ship would offer summertime itineraries up to British Columbia and Alaska and wintertime itineraries down to the Mexican Riviera. He admitted that the third ship was something that will "cost a lot of money", but that the time had come for Disney to commit to expanding the cruises permanently to the West Coast. And that's yet another example of Anaheim's growing clout in Rasulo's empire.

Now, Rasulo might be blowin' smoke or talkin' out of turn. But since DCL is connected to WDW, he might be "in the know" about future plans.

But even if a new ship announcement is coming "soon" I doubt the ship itself will be here any time soon ... at this point DCL would only be announcing that they've signed with a shipyard and that the new ship will be launched in 2009 or later. IMHO.

 

[HappyLawyer]

Don't you find it peculiar that this poster doesn't name a source or post a link to a story about this? And hasn't responded with another post since?

I realize how everyone loves the idea of a third Disney ship (myself included), but I'm not believing anything until it's official from Disney.

Especially not from someone with 16 posts to their credit.

Play nice people, we all know the # of posts you have or do not have mean nothing, we were all giving out some type of info or thoughts with posts.

Now i also doubt this would be kept a secret, form a financial aspect, people would be making or looking to make resv for this ship before it was even completed. So it would be good business to make it a public record, i cannot say i believe or have dis belief, just wait and see what happens. If true thanks to the op for the heads up, if not, oh well, this could be something this person heard and they are just trying to share the info, benefit of the doubt

 

[Miss Eeyore]

Play nice! If you, yourself, KNOW this rumor to be false, then just read, chuckle and move on. We do not ALL have to jump in, practically screaming, that the OP doesn't know of which they speak. Let it go unremarked. If you can say anything nice don't say anything at all......as our mothers all taught us.